Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they call themselves, have a wonderful enthusiasm for life and like to be helpful. A good example of this is when you are lost, people will try to help even if they don’t know the way. Once you get directions you may find them confusing, as North, South, East and West are commonly used, so you might want to carry a compass!

There is a particular Latin quality of putting things off until later, the mañana syndrome. This can be disconcerting to visitors used to a stricter ‘get it done’ philosophy. Mañana can be translated to either ‘tomorrow’ or ‘morning’ but it can also mean ‘later’ or ‘much later’. In general things seem to take much longer than you might anticipate.

Culture Smart! Costa Rica is a concise guide to understanding the Costa Rican people with illuminating insights into their national identity. Familiarise yourself with their customs, traditions and culture and experience Costa Rica authentically.

"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times